GENERAL SUMMARY:
Administer leave of absence programs including Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Short Term (STD) and Long Term Disability (LTD). Responsible for administering programs with a focus on compliance with all applicable State and Federal regulations, with an overall objective to reduce the cost impact of leave of absences by promoting maximum functional recovery and productivity. Ensure that on-going leave of absence management is within company service standards and industry best practices.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Serves as the agency point of contact for employees and senior level DART management regarding leave of absence policies and practices.
2. Monitors FMLA, STD and LTD claims in accordance with internal workflow processes.
3. Applies knowledge of FMLA and disability programs to evaluate the effectiveness of claims management.
4. Works cross functionally with other areas of the agency to ensure effective operation to achieve organizational objectives as it pertains to disability and leave management.
5. Provides top quality customer service and guidance to employees, supervisors, and managers, regarding disability leave concepts, while reinforcing the agency?s philosophy on returning to work.
6. Responsible for communications with the employee, management, Human Capital, and/or any third party disability and/or leave administrator during the duration of an employee leave.
7. Ensures that all aspects of leaves of absence and disabilities are administered according to agency policies, governmental regulations, and internal processes.
8. Identifies problems and priorities, performs research, determines follow-up steps and resolves issues. Also determines issues that must be escalated to the manager and/or Executive Management.
9. Monitors compliance with leave of absence program notification requirements including on-site postings.
10. Monitors, tracks, coordinates and administers the integration of FMLA, STD, LTD, Workers? Compensation, Alternative Duty, Employee Assistance Program, and other related benefits.
11. Responsible for securing, safeguarding and keeping confidential employee information.
12. Reviews agency payroll reports to assess for proper coding and compliance with leave of absence approvals and identify where data errors/inconsistencies exist.
13. Consults with legal counsel and other departments as necessary with respect to specific State and Federal regulations governing the leave of absence programs.
14. Develops, recommends improvement, and interprets leave of absence policies and procedures.
15. Creates and conducts presentations to all levels of staff.
16. Remains current on related local, state, and federal law changes as they relate to disability and leave management.
17. Conducts ad-hoc leave of absence reporting and analyses on a monthly basis and as requested.
18. Develops metrics for tracking leave of absence utilization and provides periodic reports to Senior Management.
19. Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
Note: An equivalent combination of related education and experience may be substituted for the below stated minimums excluding High School Diploma, GED, Licenses, or Certifications.

1. Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university in Business Administration, Finance or related field.
2. Four (4) years experience in monitoring and administering full cycle leave of absence benefits to include two (2) years of experience with high volume claims and leave of absence training.
3. FMLA and Integrated Leave Management Certifications preferred.
4. One (1) year of Project management experience preferred.
5. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel and Power Point).Must have comprehensive working knowledge of FMLA regulations and disability management.
6. Demonstrated ability to prioritize work to meet very specific deadlines.
7. Ability to handle situations with a high degree of professional maturity, sensitivity and confidentiality, which may require negotiation, adaptation of response or some research according to employees personal circumstances.
8. Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
9. Ability to be dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers. Gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services. Acts with customers in mind. Establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
10. Ability to make good decisions (without considering how much time it takes) based upon a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment). Most of his/her solutions and suggestions turn out to be correct and accurate when judged over time. Sought out by others for advice and solutions.
11. Ability to write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles. Can get messages across that have the desired effect.
12. Ability to use rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions. Can see hidden problems. Is excellent at honest analysis. Looks beyond the obvious and does not stop at the first answers.
13. Ability to pick up on technical things quickly. Can learn new skills and knowledge. Is good at learning new industry, company, product, or technical knowledge. Does well in technical courses and seminars.
14. Ability to find common ground and solve problems for the good of all. Can represent his/her own interests and yet be fair to other groups. Can solve problems with peers with a minimum of noise. Is seen as a team player and is cooperative. Easily gains trust and support of peers. Encourages collaboration.
15. Must be able to orally communicate in an effective manner with the public, co-workers, supervisors and managers to ensure efficient operations; to promote safety; and to respond to emergencies. Must also be able to read and comprehend a variety of work related/required technical manuals, safety rules and regulations.

WORKING CONDITIONS:
Works in an environment where there is minimum exposure to dust, noise, or temperature. May be moderately exposed to unpleasant working conditions to include dust, noise, temperature, weather, petroleum products, and chemicals while visiting DART's operating facilities, assuming incumbent is observing all policies and procedures, safety precautions and regulations, and using all protective clothing and devices provided.

Note: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. The statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All employees may perform other duties as assigned.

DART is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, supporting diversity in the workplace. M/F/D/V